Among other reasons, Jesus called Matthew to His discipleship to keep records of the many teachings. Thus, his Gospel is mostly a collection of teachings, grouped by theme. As with any preacher, Jesus reused some material, adapting it to the situation at hand. Sometimes it was simply an image or figure of speech, but often He would repeat a whole story. Part of the trouble with harmonizing the Gospels is the silly assumption a particular story should only appear once. Matthew's focus on the teaching is to show Jesus was the Messiah as prophesied, but not as expected by those who didn't understand the prophecy.
In Hebrew culture, it was understood ultimate Truth could scarcely be put into human language. Thus, truth was best illustrated through parables. While a less literary explanation may be included, this was generally reserved for young students who had not yet been exposed to the full wealth of Hebrew literature. Much of this literature was oral. Thus, when written, it tended to follow the oral format. Just writing it down was a form of translation. Matthew's Gospel reflects all this.
Matthew was known also by the name Levi. He and James the Less were brothers, sons of Alphaeus, also known as Cleopas. The families of Matthew and Jesus were apparently close, if not before, then certainly after Matthew's calling. A tradition asserts Alphaeus was Jesus' uncle, brother to His mother Mary. While not supported by any documentation, this would hardly be surprising. We know Salome, wife of Zebedee, was a sister of Jesus' mother, making John and James His cousins. Peter and Andrew may also have been distant relatives. We assume too much randomness in reading the Gospels, a bias we bring to Scripture. We so easily forget Jesus was a Hebrew man, who kept typical Hebrew habits of His day. His uniqueness as Son of God was more a matter of spiritual understanding.
It is this understanding Matthew attempts to bring to his readers. Those readers were obviously Jewish Christians. Early Church scholars tell us Matthew first compiled a record of Jesus' teachings in Aramaic. Carrying around writing materials in that day was not a simple matter of notebook and pencil, since those things did not exist yet. It's likely Matthew simply recorded what he recalled -- by divine assistance -- on a regular basis during Jesus' ministry. It is known a shorthand script was used at that time, and by his very profession as tax collector for King Herod, Matthew would have known about it. Record keeping would have been a principle habit of his mind. Aside from his native Aramaic, he would also have to speak and read Greek, and probably Latin. A Syrian variation of Aramaic is also quite likely, as well as Persian, given his working location in Capernaum, on the main route north and south through that part of the world. We might justly infer the equivalent of at least a bachelor's degree, if not a masters. Thus, it should present no difficulty this Gospel bears no marks of having been translated from Aramaic, but composed in Greek by a mind capable of thinking in it. This Gospel was a later work than his collection of teachings in Aramaic, but surely drew from them. Aside from rationalist nit-picking and speculation, there's no reason to suppose Matthew didn't write the Gospel named for him.
We know tax collectors -- publicans -- were despised by the mainstream rabbis and leaders of the Jewish community. They were seen as traitors, collecting taxes from their own on behalf of foreigners. Standard bureaucratic practices would have required publicans to remain more or less honest. Still, they were all treated as thieves who abused their office for personal gain, something a few apparently did (Zaccheus). Their collections were enforced by Roman conscripts, mostly Syrian in that area. However, the terms of office were generous enough even honest collectors were wealthy. Matthew's immediate family, and many of their associates, were relatively prosperous. Indeed, a surprising number of Jesus' supporters were apparently wealthy, with more than one spacious home in Galilee and Judea. Matthew notes Jesus broke all sorts of social rules because they were not based on a proper understanding of the Old Testament. He thus presents Jesus as a full realization of all the prophecies, and the establishment as having corrupted the legacy of Moses.
Return to Life of Christ Index
Chapter 1 -- The legal genealogy of Jesus, compared with the circumstances of His actual conception by the Holy Spirit.
Chapter 2:1-8 -- The coming of the Magi, Slaughter of the Innocents, and Flight into Egypt.
Chapter 2:19-3:12 -- Return from Egypt, and John the Baptist's message of repentance.
Chapter 3:13-4:11 -- Jesus' Baptism and Wilderness Temptation.
Chapter 4:12-25 -- Early ministry in Galilee, calling the first of the Twelve.
Chapter 5 -- The Beatitudes and Jesus' teaching on how the Kingdom is different from what most would expect, and from what most have been taught.
Chapter 6 -- Jesus contrasts genuine spirituality with the hypocrisy so common in His day.
Chapter 7 -- The way to teach the Law of God was far different than what most men expected, and different from what the Scribes and Pharisess had been doing.
Chapter 8 -- Matthew shares a series of events clearly indicating the authority of Jesus.
Chapter 9 -- The authority of the Kingdom is exercised through faith, and it turns the conceptions of the Talmud and the Law of Moses on their heads.
Chapter 10 -- Jesus commissions the Twelve to begin taking His message to the Jewish cities of Judea and Galilee, as part of the fulfillment of the Covenant of Moses.
Chapter 11 -- Jesus teaches regarding John the Baptist, pointing out the difference between the Talmudic traditions and the Law which John taught accurately. Then, Jesus in turn shows how His preaching was different from John's.
Chapter 12 -- There is a stark contrast between the godly fruit of redemption at Jesus' hands, and the demonic fruit of destruction from the Pharisees.
Chapter 13 -- Jesus uses parables, in part to explain why parables are necessary in teaching the Kingdom.
Chapter 14 -- Matthew contrasts the aplomb of Jesus with everyone else taken by fear in various situations.
Chapter 15 -- Jesus teaches the highest law of the Kingdom is faith.
Chapter 16 -- The Kingdom of Heaven is not of this world, a concept long forgotten in Jewish teaching.
Chapter 17 -- Jesus begins specific leadership training for his inner circle of three disciples.
Chapter 18 -- Greatness and leadership in the Kingdom requires becoming a child.
Chapter 19 -- Jesus teaches the difference between what men value and what the Kingdom values.
Chapter 20 -- The lesson continues, turning the worldly understanding on its head as Jesus makes His way toward the final goal of His life, the Passover Sacrifice.
Chapter 21 -- Jesus openly announces Himself as the Messiah, and hammers the Sanhedrin as having rejected the purpose God had in the Nation of Israel. In this, Jesus announces Old Testament Israel was doomed, having rejected their place in God's plan.
Chapter 22 -- Jesus explains the Jewish leaders will be destroyed for rejecting Him as Messiah, using the old Hebrew parabolic style of teaching. They cannot hope to match that with their shallow Hellenized debate style.
Chapter 23 -- The evils of the Pharisees and Scribes are detailed.
Chapter 24 -- Jesus struggles once again to untangle the issues involving His Kingdom, the destruction of Jerusalem and of the Nation, and His Return at The End of Time.
Chapter 25 -- Offering a trio of parables, Jesus explains just what it means to be prepared for His Return at the End of Time.
Chapter 26:1-35 -- In the final lessons to His disciples, Jesus confronts a mountain of ignorance to spiritual issues in the Twelve.
Chapter 26:36-75 -- Jesus is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, and tried before the Sanhedrin meeting as a kangaroo court.
Chapter 27 -- Pilate finds the pre-arranged deal the get rid of a troublemaker was faulty, for the man was innocent.
Chapter 28 -- Matthew describes the joyous aftermath and resurrection of Jesus. His final note closes the door on Judaism and the Jews, and establishes the Kingdom of Heaven.
By Ed Hurst
02 February 2008
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: People of honor need no copyright laws; they are only too happy to give credit where credit is due. Others will ignore copyright laws whenever they please. If you are of the latter, please note what Moses said about dishonorable behavior -- "be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23)